Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Dueavant.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Dueavantxe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia is a product of a mutation induction program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars with uniform plant habit and attractive flower bract coloration.
The new Poinsettia originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of a proprietary Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. selection identified as code number E-5-02-18, not patented, to gamma radiation in Rheinberg, Germany. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within a population of irradiated plants in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in December, 2000. The selection of this plant was based on its attractive flower bract coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by vegetative terminal cuttings taken at Rheinberg, Germany since March, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Dueavantxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Dueavantxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Inflorescences with dark pink and pale yellow bi-colored flower bracts.
2. Variegated leaves.
3. Uniform and rounded plant habit.
4. Freely branching habit.
5. Early flowering habit; response time, about eight weeks.
6. Excellent post-production longevity.
Plants of the new Poinsettia differ from plants of the parent, the selection E-5-02-18, in leaf and flower bract color as plants of the selection E-5-02- 18 had solid green-colored leaves and flower bracts.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Marblestar, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,685. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Marblestar in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more freely branching than plants of the cultivar Marblestar.
2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had variegated leaves whereas plants of the cultivar Marblestar had solid green-colored leaves.
3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about one week earlier than plants of the cultivar Marblestar.
4. Plants of the new Poinsettia had smaller flower bracts, but more flower bracts per inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Marblestar.
5. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the cultivar Marblestar differed slightly in flower bract coloration.